Attachable and replaceable heel for footwear



1943- R. J. MOFFATT ATTACHABLE AND REPLACEABLE HEEL FOR FOOTWEAR Filed s t. 15, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Feb. 10, 1948 ATTACHABLE AND REPLACEABLE HEEL FOR FOOTWEAR Reginald John Moffatt, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Kathleen Mary Elliott, executrix of said Reginald John Moffatt, deceased, assignor to Kathleen Mary Elliott Application September 15, 1944, Serial No. 554,255

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to the heels of shoes and the like and provides improvements in the construction thereof and the provision of associated parts, whereby a heel may be readily applied to and removed from a shoe and the heels from a pair of shoes interchanged.

The invention comprises a combination of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings the several figures whereof except those which are otherwise indicated being inverted perspective views.

Fig. 1 is an assemblage of the parts shown in Figs. 234 and 18.

Fig. 2 is a base plate.

Fig. 3, a guide plate.

Fig. 4, a tongue plate.

Fig. 5, a locking plate.

Fig. 6, a rubber lift.

Fig. '7, a plate comprised of two lifts of leather.

Fig. 8 illustrates the assemblage of the guide plate 3 and base plate 2.

Fig. 9 is a similar view to Fig. 8 with the inclusion of the tongue plate Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 shows the plates Figs. 4, 5 and 6 assembled.

Fig. 11 is a cross section on A. A. Fig. 10.

Fig. 12, a longitudinal section at the middle of the shoe showing the heel being passed into position.

Fig. 13, a similar view to Fig. 12 showing the heel locked to guide plate 3.

F g. 14, a fragmentary cross section through all the members.

Fig. 15, a view similar to Fig. 14 but showing two leather plates substituted for the rubber member Fig. 6.

Figs. 16 and 17 are respectively perspective views of a washer and of a bifurcated rivet employed therewith.

Fig. 18, a view s milar to Fig. 13 showing means for releasing the heel from the shoe.

All the associated parts are contoured and disposed so that when assembled the linesof their meeting surfaces are scarcely noticeable. the appearance presented by their perimeter being that of an integral heel of ordinary type.

The base plate 2 is moulded from synthetic resin or the like and is (as shown in Fi 13) nailed to the outsole 3 of the shoe its face 4 being recessed to receive the guide plate 5 which fits closely into it and is also nailed to the outsole (see Fig. 8 of the drawings).

The guide plate 5 is of thin sheet metal, preferably brass, partly punched out and bent to form guides 6'l and 8 and also an upturned flange 9 through which there is a small opening.

The tongue plate I I. Fig. 4, is moulded from synthetic resin or the like and has tongues |2--l3l4 which, when the heel is ap lied to the shoe as hereinafter described fit closely under the guides 6-1 and 8. The locking plate l5, Fig. 5, has an integral spring tongue l6 stamped out of the plate and so disposed that when the heel is applied to the shoe its end contacts with the vertical face of guide 6 and prevents rearward movement of the heel.

- The entire heel is comprised of three parts viz: the rubber plate l8 (Fig. 6) the spring locking plate I5 (Fig. 5) the tongue plate ll (Fig. 4). The three plates are clamped together by the bifurcated rivets, I!) which pass into holes 20 in the rubber plate l8, through similar holes in the washers 2| (Fig. 16), embedded in the rubber during manufacture, thence through holes in the locking plate l5 (Fig. 5) and through the tongue plate ll (Fig. 4). The ends of the rivets pass into recesses 23 (Fi 10) in the underside of the tongue plate I I and are spread apart and clamped down.

To apply the heel thus comprised of the parts shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 to the shoe it is pushed on horizontally from the back the tongues l2l3 and i4 fitting tightly into the grooves 6'l-8 in guide plate 5 (Fig. 3) while the spring locking tongue l6 bears against the rear edge of the guide 6 thus preventing the heel from rearward movement.

To release the heel a rod 22 (see Fig. 18) is passed into opening I!) in flange 9 and the spring tongue pressed into the recess I! thereby releasing the end of the tongue from contact with guide 6, and permitting withdrawal of the heel.

I claim:

A removable interchangeable heel for shoes comprising the combination with a removable heel section including a tongue plate, a locking plate, a rubber lift and means for securing said parts together, of a base plate, and a guide plate fixed to the outer sole of the shoe, said base plate having a recess which receives the guide plate, and guides punched and bent from the guide plate for detachable engagement with the removable heel section.

2. In a removable and replaceable heel construction a base plate conforming to the shape of a heel permanently fixed to the outer sole and provided with a recess in the outer surface, a guide plate mounted in the recess and including opposed longitudinally extended guides, and a rear transverse guide. said guides being struck from the body of the plate and extended laterally outward. a removable heel section compris ng an outer lift member, a locking plate carried thereby and including an outwardly extending spring locking tongue. and a recessed tongue plate secured to the lift in such manner that the tongue lies within the recess. the tongues being positioned correspondin ly to the guides on the guide plate and being adapted for engagement therewith upon the longitudinal sliding of the removable section onto the guide plate while the spring tongue is adapted to engage the rear edge of the transverse guide to prevent accidental disengagement.

3. In a removable and replaceable heel construction, a base plate conforming to the shape of a heel permanently fixed to the outer sole of a shoe and provided with a flange along the curved outer edge, a guide plate secured to the base plate within the flanged edges and provided with opposed longitudinal guides and a rear transverse guide and also with an upturned apertured flange along the inner straight edge, a detachable heel section comprising a main outer plate, a locking plate carried with the outer plate andincluding a rearwardly and upwardly extending spring locking tongue, and a tongue plate fixed to main outer plate and locking plate and provided with spaced parallel tongues and, a rear transversetongue for engaging the respective guides on the guide plate when the'detachable section is slid longitudinally rearwardly of the 4 guide plate and base plate and into contact with the upturned apertured flange, the spring locking tongue abutting against the rear edge of the transverse guide on the guide plate to prevent accidental reverse movement of the detachable heel section.

REGINALD JOHN MOFFATT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,355,921 Shepelevich Oct. 19, 1920 1,980,271 Hassel Nov. 13, 1934 1,343,353 Des Moineaux June 15, 1920 1,675,101 Hobert June 26, 1928 2,285,254 Da Silva June 2, 1942 1,466,407 Maloney Aug. 28, 1923 1,754,402 Reisenfeld Apr. 15, 1930 1,970,689 Collins Aug. 21, 1934 

